is a Japanese three-part

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

based on an anime television series with the same name co-created by director

Gorō Taniguchi is a Japanese anime director, writer, producer and storyboard artist, who is among Sunrise's noted directors. He was born in Nisshin, Aichi, Japan. Works Anime television series *''Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh'' (storyboards, episode direction, ba ...

and writer

Ichirō Ōkouchi is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist. He is a graduate of Waseda University, School of Human Sciences. Ōkouchi is best known for collaborating with director Gorō Taniguchi for composing the story and script of the Sunrise original productio ...

. The three-part film was directed by Taniguchi, written by Ōkouchi, and produced by

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology Al ...

. The first film, ''Initiation'', was released on October 21, 2017. The second film, ''Transgression'', was released on February 10, 2018. The third film, ''Glorification'', was released on May 26, 2018. The three-part film is a

compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products *Compilation thesis M ...

of the television series, but with differences in storylines that makes it a

separate continuity In mathematics, a bilinear map is a function combining elements of two vector spaces to yield an element of a third vector space, and is linear in each of its arguments. Matrix multiplication is an example. Definition Vector spaces Let V, W ...

, and setting up for the sequel film, ''

Code Geass Lelouch of the Re;surrection is a 2019 Japanese animated military mecha science fantasy film based on ''Code Geass'' co-created by director Gorō Taniguchi and writer Ichirō Ōkouchi. The film is directed by Taniguchi, written by Ōkouchi, and produced by Sunrise. The film ...

'', which was released in 2019.

Premise

''Initiation''

In an alternative reality, the Holy Empire of Britannia has conquered the world, with their imperial family dominating countries and stripping former authorities and civilians of their national pride, including Japan which has been renamed as "Area 11" and its people "Elevens". Lelouch is a member of the imperial family alongside his little sister Nunnally; however, after the death of their mother, their father exiled them to Area 11, formerly known as Japan, and they were presumed dead by the Britannian empire. Now a teenager and living under a new identity, Lelouch meets a mysterious girl named C.C. and is given the power of Geass, allowing him to control someone with a single command. With his new God-given gift, intelligence and insider knowledge of the Holy Britannian Empire, he takes up the mantle of the mysterious rebel named "Zero" to give hope back to the Elevens and gain his revenge against his own family.

''Transgression''

Lelouch Lamperouge, under the secret identity of Zero, has gained supports of the Elevens as well as made himself a target for the Britannian army, but his main concern right now is not only protecting his sister but getting his best friend, Suzaku, to join their side. When Suzaku fails to be persuaded however, he finds that the price to pay for taking down the father that once killed his mother has a heavy cost, one that will take Lelouch to his limit.

''Glorification''

Lelouch takes a big risk and decides to confront Suzaku alone, not only to help him win his war but to also protect the one person he cares about most of all – Nunnally. Suzaku refuses at first but his resolve is tested when he discovers Emperor Charles zi Britannia's master plan and the true motives of Schneizel el Britannia. But how far can Lelouch's Geass take him and will he be able to create the world of peace he wants for Nunnally in the end?

Voice cast

Production

In June 2017, it was announced that a three-part compilation film of ''

Code Geass , often referred to simply as ''Code Geass'', is a Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise. It was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by Clamp. Set ...

'' was in the works, with series director

and writer Ichirō Ōkouchi returning for the films. Taniguchi confirmed that while the films are recap of the television series, there are few changes to the storylines, creating a "what if?" scenarios leading up to the sequel film. Many of the key staff members from the television series were credited for their respective roles; manga artist group CLAMP for their character design concept, with Takahiro Kimura as an animation character designer, and

Kōtarō Nakagawa is a Japanese composer and arranger. He is noted for composing the soundtracks for several anime series, including the Gorō Taniguchi-directed productions '' s-CRY-ed'', ''Planetes'', ''Gun Sword'', and ''Code Geass''. He provided the music fo ...

and Hitomi Kuroishi for their musical scores. The voice cast from the television series reprised their respective roles to re-record their old dialogues and new ones for the new scenes. The opening songs from the television series were used in the compilation films' openings. The new ending songs were announced: , sung by Iris was used in ''Initiation'', "The Moon", sung by Sakura Fujiwara, was used in ''Transgression'', and "NE:ONE", sung by Survive Said the Prophet, was used in ''Glorification''.

Release

The three-part film was released in Japanese theaters; ''Initiation'' was released on October 21, 2017, ''Transgression'' was released on February 10, 2018, and ''Glorification'' on May 26, 2018.

Reception

Box office

''Transgression'' debuted at number eight in the Japanese box office.

Critical reception

James Beckett of

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...

gave the three-part film "C+" rating, and states "If you like your robot wars filled with magic, melodrama, and more beautiful CLAMP boys than you can shake a stick at, then the original ''Code Geass'' will likely be worth your time."

Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...

published an article listing places where—in writer Liz Adler's opinion—the films improved upon the anime, and where the original anime was better. Panos Kotzathanasis of ''Asian Movie Pulse'' gave a mostly positive review of ''Initiation''. Sarah Rawlings of ''Anime UK News'' rated ''Initiation'' 7/10.

Sequel

The sequel was teased when the three-part film was first announced. In August 2018, it was revealed that the sequel is going to be an anime film, and returning key staff and cast members from the anime television series and the three-part film were announced for the film. The sequel film, titled was released in Japanese theaters on February 9, 2019.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Gorō Taniguchi Anime film series Animated films about time travel Code Geass Cyborgs in anime and manga Discrimination in fiction Fiction about curses Films about prophets Films about security and surveillance Films about terrorism Films set in the 2110s Films with screenplays by Ichirō Ōkouchi Funimation Japan in fiction Japanese alternate history films Monarchy in fiction Sunrise (company) Terrorism in fiction ja:コードギアス反逆のルルーシュ#劇場版3部作